The Prince's Flower
by Thalia Black Castellan
Summary: A young Severus Snape sees Lily Evans doing accidental magic in the park. They become friends, go to Hogwarts together and eventually develop feelings for each other. However, their happiness is short-lived, for the Dark Lord Voldemort is rising quickly. Can they make it through the war? What role do the Marauders have in all of this? Warnings Inside.
1. The Prince Meets his Flower

DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS YOU RECOGNIZE BELONG TO J. K. ROWLING! I MAKE NO MONEY FROM THIS!

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A young boy, no older than nine years old, was hiding behind a tree, crying. It wasn't fair! Why did his father hate him so much? It wasn't _his _fault they were poor, it wasn't _his_ fault he was a wizard, it wasn't _his_ fault his mother didn't want to conjure money. The boy sat on the dirty, uneven ground, clutching his injured wrist. He hated this neighbourhood. He couldn't go to school because his accidental magic attracted too much attention. The other boys didn't like him because he wore a very odd combination of his mother's old smock and trousers and his father's torn trench coat. His father was a violent alcoholic and his mother was, unfortunately, too weak to stand up to him. The only thing he liked there was the small pond near Spinner's End. It was his sanctuary. He always went there when his parents were fighting. Brushing the long, greasy black hair out of his bloody face, the boy wondered whether he should go back home. His father, Tobias, was still at the pub and his mother, Eileen, was either trying to find a bit of food for them or studying potions. The young boy _loved _potions. He often dreamt of having his own apothecary and potions lab. Sadly, those were only dreams, for he was only a boy from a poor family, whose mother was disowned for marrying a muggle. _A very useless muggle at that,_ he thought bitterly. Taking one last look at his reflection in the water, the boy cleaned the blood off his face, stood up and ran up the hill, towards his old, shabby house. He opened the door, wincing slightly at the loud creaking sound it made. "Severus? Is that you?" asked his mother, Eileen. She sounded ill. "Yes, mother." The boy, Severus walked slowly to the narrow bed where his mother was lying. Severus gasped. She was gaunt and thin, blood was prominent on her white clothes. He looked around the dark house. Broken whisky bottles were lying around, covering almost every part of the old, wooden floor. "What happened?" he asked quietly, even though he already knew the answer. Eileen smiled at her small son. She looked outside. "It's getting late. You should get some rest," she told him. Severus nodded mutely and went up to his small, cold, bare room. Not for the first time, he went to bed hungry.

The next day, Severus rose at dawn. He left his room, just to see his unconscious father lying on the ground, an empty bottle in his hand. Severus looked a lot like his father. They had the same greasy hair, hooked nose and, to Severus's shame, the same unfriendly personality and bad temper. Severus picked up the nearest Potions book and slipped out of the house before his father woke. He decided to go to the park. He loved reading under the large willow tree there. With a small smile, he opened the heavily dog-eared and battered book. Before he knew it, the park was full of children, laughing and playing. Severus scowled at them. Why couldn't _he _be happy like that? Why couldn't _he_ have a proper family? Ignoring the other children, he kept reading about the Essence of Dittany. He knew it was forbidden to take magical books outside, but nobody paid him any attention, so he figured it didn't really matter. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the children started leaving one by one. The park was almost completely quiet, just the way Severus liked it. Only two little girls remained. One was about his age, with waist-length red hair and bright green eyes. The other was a bit older, with short brown hair and brown eyes. She looked like she had swallowed a lemon. Severus was about to resume reading when, suddenly, the younger girl literally flew off the swing. She reached a high point and jumped. That would be considered normal, if it wasn't for the fact that she stayed in the air for far too long and landed way too lightly. Severus's eyes widened. That girl was a witch! "Stop it, Lily! Mummy says you're not supposed to do that!" cried the older girl. Lily. The witch's name was Lily._ Such a beautiful name,_ thought Severus. "Come on, Tuney, it's really fun! You try it!" laughed Lily. Severus felt excited for the first time in years. He had to tell Lily what she really was. "Stop doing those freakish things, Lily, or I'm going to tell mummy," threatened 'Tuney'. Lily just laughed again and picked up a flower. She placed it in her palm and it began to move on its own. Severus put his book down and walked over to the girls. "I know why you can make those things happen," he told her, not bothering to introduce himself first. 'Tuney' looked disgusted. "Get away from her!" she screeched. "Stop it, Petunia," said Lily. _So her name's_ _Petunia,_ thought Severus. _It doesn't sound as good as Lily. _Lily smiled at him. _She has such a beautiful smile,_ he thought. No one, except his mother, smiled at him. "It's because you're a witch," he said tactlessly. Lily frowned at him. "That's not a very nice thing to say to someone," she said crossly. She took her sister's hand and marched away from him. "Wait!" yelled Severus. "I didn't mean to insult you! I'm sorry!" Severus had never apologised to anyone before. Not even his mother. He really wanted to talk to somebody like himself. But the girls were gone. _Lily was gone._

Severus picked up his book and headed home, feeling utterly depressed. He just hoped his father was still asleep. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. As he opened the front door, he was greeted by a very angry and still intoxicated Tobias Snape.

Hours later, Severus sat in the corner of his room, crying and shivering. His mother protected him from the worst blows, but it still hurt too much to move. Even his father's old coat smelled of alcohol. He wished Tobias would just disappear.

Alone and scared, Severus cried himself to sleep in the corner, too injured to make it to his bed. He slept peacefully, not knowing that his mother was sitting outside his room, begging Merlin for help, not knowing that a couple of blocks away, Petunia was still sneering at the thought of him, that Lily wanted to see him again.

The next morning, Severus woke at dawn again. He sneaked into the kitchen, grabbed a stale slice of bread that was left and ran to the park. Maybe he could see Lily again. Maybe she would forgive him. Maybe she would believe him this time. He sat under the willow again, but as he didn't have a book this time, he looked around the park, waiting for a certain beautiful, auburn-haired girl...

Hours later, he spotted her. Thankfully, Petunia wasn't with her. Once she saw him, she smiled and walked up to him. "Hello," he said rather nervously. "I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. I can explain..." Lily cocked her head to the side and stared at him. Severus felt like she was staring right into his soul. "I've never seen you before. What's your name?" The slight breeze caused her long hair to sway a little. "Severus," he told her quietly. "That's an odd name," she commented. "I'm Lily." Severus resisted the urge to say _I know. I was watching you yesterday._ He didn't want to scare her away. "Why did you call me a witch? I never did anything to you," Lily frowned. He sighed. This was going to be difficult. "I can't tell you here. Do you want to come with me to the pond near Spinner's End?" he suggested. "Why can't you tell me here? What's wrong?" she huffed, clearly annoyed with him. "Because I'm not allowed to."

"Fine, let's go." Severus sighed in relief. They walked quietly to the pond. Finally, they reached his sanctuary. "I called you a witch because that's what you are," he said once they sat down. Lily scowled deeply at him and tried to leave. "I think Tuney was right about you." Severus bit his lip. He couldn't mess this up again. He couldn't lose the only person who was somewhat nice to him. "Not that kind of witch," he said. Lily turned back to him. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Y-You can do magic," he replied uncertainly. "That's what I meant when I called you a witch. You're a female wizard." Lily laughed. "Come on, Severus. Surely you know that magic isn't real?" Severus wished he had brought his book. Maybe she would believe him if he showed it to her. Instead, he tried to explain. "Haven't you ever done something strange when you were scared or angry?" Severus had done a lot of accidental magic around his father, which had made the foul man even angrier. Lily looked thoughtful. "Once, when Petunia yelled at me for doing freakish things, I turned her hair green," she giggled slightly. Severus smiled. He really liked having someone to talk to. "Was that really magic?" she asked excitedly. Severus nodded. "Are you a wizard, too?" Lily, amazingly, believed him. She had so many questions; she didn't know where to start. "I am. My mum's a witch, but my father's a muggle," he frowned at the mention of the monster known as Tobias Snape. "What's a muggle?" asked Lily, whose eyes were now wide with fascination. "A muggle is a person without magic, like your sister." Lily frowned. If no one in her family had magic, how could she have it? She voiced her concerns to Severus. "In the wizard world," he replied, "there are people known as Muggleborns. It means that even though they have magic, no one else in their family does."

"Does it matter if you're a Muggleborn?" Lily asked worriedly. "No," lied Severus, thinking of how the Princes had abandoned them just because his mother married Tobias. He hated blood prejudice and he didn't want Lily to think that wizards were bigoted, supremacist, prejudiced buffoons before she even saw the wizard world. The young green-eyed girl was beyond fascinated with what Severus was telling her. They spent until dusk talking about the magical community and Hogwarts. Severus told his new friend that they would both get their Hogwarts acceptance letters once they turned eleven. Lily couldn't keep the grin off her face. She wanted to stay there forever, talking about magic with Severus, but she knew her parents and sister would worry if she wasn't back by dusk. Reluctantly, she stood up. They both turned to leave, when Lily hugged Severus tightly and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Severus. I really enjoyed our talk," she said. "Will I see you again tomorrow?" Severus couldn't believe a stranger would willingly _touch_ him, let alone _hug_ him. And did she actually say she wanted to see him _again_? "Of course," he replied. For the first time in years, he smiled. Severus was truly happy. Lily smiled at him. "Bye, Sev," she called as he ran toward his poverty-stricken neighbourhood

Lily sat on her bed, thinking about her new friend, Severus. He was so smart! She couldn't believemagic was actually _real._ She loved spending time with Sev. He knew so much about magic. She hadn't told anyone she was a witch. How could she? What would her parents say? Petunia was so angry when she found out that she was meeting Severus. Lily couldn't completely blame her sister. There was something odd about that boy. He spoke quietly, but eloquently. His clothes were the strangest Lily had ever seen. Why would he wear an ancient, torn trench coat in the middle of the _summer_? And why was he wearing _women's_ clothing? And why did he look so angry and depressed? She shook her head. She couldn't wait until tomorrow. He promised he'd tell her more about magic. Despite her happiness, Lily was worried. Why wouldn't Petunia talk to her? Why did she seem to hate Severus so much? Would she hate her once she found out she was a witch? Would she still think magic was 'freakish'?

Meanwhile, Severus was lying on his narrow bed smiling. For the first time, his smile wasn't grim or bitter; it was a genuine smile. He absentmindedly touched his cheek where Lily had kissed him. He had a friend. He couldn't scare her away with accidental magic. After all, she was just like him. He couldn't wait until they went to Hogwarts together. They would both be sorted into Slytherin. They would be the best at everything. For the first time in his life, Severus fell asleep with a smile on his face. He didn't dream of his violent father or his worryingly weak mother. For the first time, his dreams were pleasant, wonderful even. He dreamt of Lily and the little time they spent together.

The next morning was rough for Severus. Tobias was yelling again. "Why can't you and that _freak_ you call a son make money appear? I'm _sick _of living like this!" Eileen was furious with him. The nerve of that man! "We wouldn't be living this way if you actually worked instead of spending our money on alcohol!" Tobias's face morphed into a scowl. "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT? I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING! I HAVE PUT A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD! UNGRATEFUL FREAKS..." Severus covered his ears, trying to ignore his father's yelling. Tobias didn't miss this action. He grabbed Severus by the front of his shirt, ignoring his wife's pleading. Severus could smell the liquor in his father's breath. He tried to fight back, but Tobias was much bigger and stronger than him. Severus tried not to cry. He felt so helpless. Suddenly, Tobias was thrown into the nearest wall by an invisible force. Not daring to look back, Severus picked up the books and ran out of the house with a black eye and a bruise on his arm. He didn't have time to think about healing himself before meeting Lily. He just ran. Away from Spinner's End, away from his father. He spotted Lily skipping around the pond in the little forest, humming to herself. "Severus!" she cried once she saw him. "What happened to you?" Severus froze. Should he tell her? _Of course not_, he thought. _She'll realise how weak you are and leave. _He didn't think he would survive losing his only friend. "I got into a fight," he lied. "Oh, Sev!" she cried, wrapping her arms around him. "Don't pick fights with those boys. They're bigger and stronger than you! Do you want me to clean the blood for you?" Severus shook his head. "I brought a couple of books with me. Perhaps I can tell you more about our world." Lily grinned and picked up a thick, heavy, battered book. _Most Potente Potions,_ she read. They spent the entire day talking about Potions. Severus told Lily his dream about owning an apothecary. "That's great, Sev! I'm sure you're going to be the best Potions Master ever!" Severus smiled at that. His mother used to own an apothecary, but she gave it to her cousin Amethyst when she married Tobias. _It's all because of him,_ Severus thought bitterly._ If mother hadn't married him, we'd still be considered respectable purebloods, we'd be wealthy and we'd be living in the wizard world. _Severus heard an irritating little voice say _then you wouldn't have met Lily._ Severus loathed admitting that he agreed with the voice. Lily made everything worthwhile.

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This is my first fic and English is not my native language so I apologise for any spelling or grammar mistakes.


	2. The Silence

anotherboarduser- Thank you very much for reviewing my story. I agree with you to some extent. The Marauders were truly horrible to Severus. However, I do not believe they were evil and I do not plan to bash any characters (yet). As I do not want to reveal too much and ruin the story, I am not going to tell you whether James and Lily will develop feelings for each other or not. I hope you enjoyed the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO J. K. ROWLING!

Chapter Two

Over the next couple of weeks, Severus and Lily would sit by the pond all day, talking about Hogwarts. Severus had explained about the four houses and Lily had worried about being sorted in a different house ever since. Severus hugged her awkwardly and assured her that they would both be in the same house, even though he couldn't see how a muggleborn could ever be sorted into Slytherin. Severus used his mother's wand to place weak, incorrectly cast glamour charms in order to hide the scars. He knew they were going to fade sometime and he knew it. He worried that they would fall apart in front of Lily, but he didn't stop meeting her every morning. He would tell her everything he knew, from Animagi and werewolves to the Draught of the Living Death. Lily would look at him with those beautiful green eyes and interrupt with comments such as "That's ingenious!" or "Can wizards actually _do_ things like that, Sev?" Even though Severus was annoyed with the constant interruptions, he couldn't help but share Lily's excitement. She was so _brilliant! _She made everything look brighter. On a sunny July evening, he was telling her about his least favourite activity in the wizard world, Quidditch, when, to Severus's horror, the shabby glamour charms fell apart. They had been looking at a particularly horrendous picture in _Most Potente Potions, _when,suddenly, Lily gasped loudly. "Severus," she demanded. Severus tried to think of a decent excuse, but each one that went through his mind was feebler than the last. "I got into another fight," he said finally. His voice was monotonous and unconvincing. Lily cocked her head to the side and stared at him, just the way she had done when he introduced himself. "I told you not to fight with those horrible boys," she said. Lily really didn't like those boys. She had only seen them a couple of times, but she knew most of them by name. Vernon Dursley, Henry Polkiss, Frank Arthur and Phil Crow were only a few of them. How Sev survived a four against one was beyond her. She gave him her best glare. Did he have no sense of self-preservation? "Come with me," she told him. "Mum can heal those wounds." Severus swallowed audibly. His face was drained of the little colour it had. "I-I really mu-must t-to go," he stuttered. "My m-mother's really i-ill and I n-need to t-take care of her." It was a terrible excuse, but he didn't wait for Lily to reply. He just ran toward his ragged, shoddy home.

Lily was shocked. She was about to lecture Sev on why he shouldn't get into fights when he ran away from her. She angrily wiped the tears from her face, picked up the heavy books Severus had left on the damp, filthy ground and walked home miserably. Why did he run away like that? Lily's misery rapidly turned to anger. _Some friend he turned out to be, _she thought bitterly. She went home. Her mum was reading by the fireplace and her dad still wasn't back from work. Rose Evans looked at her daughter's tearstained face. "What happened, Lily?" she asked concernedly. "I'm alright, mum," replied Lily. "I just fell." She hadn't told her mother about Severus and she most definitely _hadn't _told her about magic. Rose stood up to take a look at her younger daughter. "Are you sure you're okay?" Lily nodded. "I just want to go to my room," she said solemnly. She didn't want to think about Severus. She didn't want to think that Petunia was right about him. Rose nodded silently and watched her daughter leave the drawing room. "Wait," she called after her daughter. Lily turned around to look at her mother. "Where did you get those books?" Lily suddenly noticed the books in her hands. Hoping her mother didn't notice what was on the cover, she said, "A friend from school gave them to me." And without another word, she left.

Lily sat on her bed and looked through the books she had taken home with her. She knew she had to return them to Severus eventually, but for now, she was going to keep them. Opening the copy of _Advanced Potion-Making_, she read the neat, loopy scrawl on the inside of the front cover. _This is the property of Eileen Prince. Do not touch without excess permission._ Lily had never wondered about Severus's blood status. Obviously, his mother was a witch, but what about his father? Was he a wizard or a- What did Sev call non-magical people? _Muggles, _she remembered. She read the Potions book for hours, until she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Severus, much like Lily, was utterly depressed. His father was still out drinking and his mother was looking for a job somewhere, since Tobias couldn't be bothered with his. Severus didn't go to his room. He hated it there. The desolation and bitterness he always felt there were unbearable. The drawing room was somewhat warmer, too. He looked around the grimy room. The shards of glass were still scattered across the floor and the air smelled of alcohol. Severus closed his eyes. He hadn't meant to run away. He could only imagine what Lily would think of him now. Would she forgive him? Would she still want to see him? Or would she side with her sister? Anger surged inside Severus when he thought about Petunia. He knew that it was his own fault Lily was angry with him right now, but it was much easier to blame someone else. Severus opened his eyes again. The best thing he could do was to wait for her by the loch. After all, he didn't know where she lived. He knew the Evans family was from a wealthier part of town, but he hadn't asked about that. Severus anticipated the next day and at the same time, he wished it would never come. What if Lily didn't show up? What if she decided he was more trouble than he was worth? Trying to take his mind of things, Severus decided to clean the glass from the rough, wooden floor. It worked for a couple of minutes, until he broke down into heavy sobs. He was inconsolable. A couple of hours and seven Calming Draughts later, Severus put on his father's appalling trench coat and left the house. It was too dark to see the road, but the stars shone brightly in the cloudless sky. His mother would be back in a couple of hours, possibly, but his father would not return until after midnight, when he would usually stagger through the front door with a half empty bottle held firmly in one hand and his large cane in the other. Sometimes, his father didn't come back at all. He would pass out on the pavement and spend the entire night there.

Severus lay behind his family's house and looked at the stars. Having read a couple of astronomy books, he could recognise some of the constellations, like Orion, Ursa Major, Draco and Canis Major. Severus too, fell into a dreamless sleep, waking up early the next morning to the sound of birds singing. Normally, that would have been a pleasant sound, but he was stiff and cold from lying on the ground all night. He ran into his house. Was his mother back? Looking around the empty room, he realised she was still missing. What was taking her so long? Severus was hungry. Hunger wasn't an uncommon feeling for him and it got harder to deal with every day. He wouldn't resort to stealing or begging. He refused to. He was just about to look for something edible, when he remembered. Lily! He quickly ran to his refuge. When he got there, the familiar scene greeted him. The same tall trees and damp ground, the same odd sounds which, Severus supposed, were made by insects and the same pond that was found in the centre of the little forest. Logs had fallen around it and the few flowers that grew there were full of thorns. Lily wasn't there.

Lily was wondering whether she should go look for Severus or not. She felt rather lonely without him, but she was still upset with him for running away from her. And he had lied to her, too. Lily didn't believe for one moment that his mother was truly ill. What was wrong with him? Maybe she should go and check on him... She felt that something was wrong. Against her better judgement and purely out of stubbornness, Lily stayed inside.

Severus, meanwhile, was having another row with his father, who had decided to grace him with his presence. Severus wasn't sure what the fight was _about_, as he couldn't understand Tobias's drunken slur. All he knew was that it ended the same way all arguments with Tobias did- in great pain. Severus was glad he passed out halfway through the flogging. He woke up at midday with a black eye and broken ribs. Tobias, who had become very bored of harming his only son, returned to the disgraceful, horrendous, nearly demolished building he spent his days in, so Severus was free to do as he pleased. So he took a Pain Relieving Potion his mother had left lying around and went back to sleep.


	3. Severus's Secret

Chapter Three

Lily was concerned about Severus again. She was torn between wanting to stay in her room and never see him again and run outside to find him. Despite her hurt, she couldn't stop worrying about him. Was he okay? Where was he? What was he doing? Did he hate her for not showing up at their meeting place yesterday? Lily sighed miserably. She wished more than anything that she could check on him. Where did he live? Lily knew he was from a poorer part of town, but she had never asked where. She paced around her room, trying to find a solution. Should she go to the pond? Would he be there? She doubted it. There was nothing she could do.

Suddenly, she got a brilliant idea. She would ask someone if they knew his family! Lily, knowing that her parents were still working and Petunia wouldn't notice her, picked up all of Sev's books and ran out of the house. It didn't take long to get to the shoddy, broken-down homes of Spinner's End. She winced the moment she saw her friend's living conditions. She didn't know which one of these houses belonged to the Snape family, but she knew that they weren't living comfortably. All the houses were small; the dull brown paint was peeling off the cheap walls. Lily couldn't see what was inside the houses, but many of the windows were cracked and the doors looked like they could fall any second. It didn't look like a safe place to be in. The neighbourhood was absolutely dreadful. Hesitantly, she knocked on one of the doors, praying that the person who lived there was decent. The door was opened by a frail looking woman with long, dark brown hair, large black eyes and pronounced cheekbones. "How can I help you?" she asked. Lily straightened up slightly. That woman didn't look like much of a threat. "Hello, madam," she said politely. "I'm looking for the Snape family. Do you know where they live?" The woman looked at her for a second. Finally, she nodded slowly. "Come inside. Are you a friend of Severus?"

"Yes, madam, I am. Are you..." Lily trailed off, not entirely sure what she wanted to say. "I'm Eileen Snape," the woman said curtly. Lily recognised the name from the book she read the day before. "I-Is Sev he-here?" The woman, Mrs Snape, nodded again and stepped aside to let Lily inside. "I'm sure he'd love to see you." Her tone was slightly mocking this time, but Lily couldn't understand why. Mrs Snape's eyes drifted to Lily's arms. "Ah, you've brought my books. It was very unlike Severus to forget them. Thank you." Mrs Snape took the books from her. Lily stammered a reply and stepped into the house. It was the most horrendous, abominable, ghastly thing Lily had ever seen. It was dark and cold. The jagged, uneven wooden floor creaked with every step she took. The walls were bare and damp and the air smelled like liquor. She tried to ignore all of that and raised a small fist to knock of the closed ajar door she assumed was Sev's. Lily walked into his room. It was the same as the drawing room, but more frigid. "Sev?" she called out softly, as if she was afraid some undesirable creature would wake up.

Severus was shocked. What was Lily doing there? How did she know where he lived? Pushing those questions out of his mind, he stood up. "Good evening, Lily. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Technically, he knew he should apologise for running away, but he wanted an explanation. "Sev," she cried. "I'm sorry I didn't meet you yesterday! I was _so_ upset when you ran away without an excuse!" Severus raised an eyebrow. "It's alright," he said. And he meant it, too. He was so happy to have his only friend back; nothing else mattered to him at the moment. The minute he ran from his sanctuary at the pond, he felt guilty. They stood in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say to the other. Severus, for his part, was ashamed of his living conditions. Not to mention, he still didn't look too good after his father's last caning. For the first time in his life, Severus was thankful his room was so dim. That way, Lily couldn't see his bruises...

A couple of heartfelt apologies later and some crying on Lily's part, Lily and Severus left the terrifying house and rushed outside. In the light of the sunny July day, Severus's dark bruises were very noticeable against his sallow skin. Lily's eyes widened in horror. She opened her moth, but no words came out. Severus looked positively terrible. His left eye was swollen, his greasy black hair was stained with blood and his old, outlandish clothes were torn in several places. Lily was far beyond livid. She knew Sev hadn't been in another fight, as he had stayed at home. That could only mean someone was hurting him _there._ Lily couldn't understand. The last time she asked Sev about his scars, he ran from her. She didn't want them to fight again, but she wanted to help him. "Sev," she began gently. "Can you please tell me what happened?" She touched his arm gently, making sure that he would stay there that time.

Severus took a deep breath to calm down. He found that he had not only become accustomed to Lily's frequent affectionate gestures, but he quite liked it, too. He bit his lip, wondering whether he should tell Lily or not. He trusted her, but there was still a little part of him that wondered if she would leave him, disgusted and disappointed by his inability to defend himself. Should he risk it? Seeing Lily's encouraging smile made him feel braver. "Tobias did it," he said quietly. Lily's eyebrows rose comically. Who was this Tobias and how did he hurt her Sev while he was at home? "Who's Tobias, love?" she asked placidly. Severus closed his eyes for a moment. It was now or never. "He's my father," he said. The moment the words came out of his mouth, he regretted it. How could he say something so utterly foolish? Now Lily was going to laugh and tell Petunia and she wouldn't want to be his friend anymore and-

Severus's internal rant was interrupted by a deceptively calm voice sounding in his ear. "Has this happened before?" Severus nodded slightly. He didn't quite understand what was going on. He was too busy panicking about his blunder. Lily screamed. She screamed so loudly, Severus was sure the entire population of Cokeworth could hear her. "THAT BARBARIC BEAST! HOW DARE HE! I'M GOING TO RIP HIM APART LIMB BY LIMB! WHERE IS HE, SEVERUS? TELL ME, NOW! I'M GOING TO RUIN HIS LIFE! IF HE DOES THAT AGAIN, I'LL-" Severus cut her off by firmly clasping his hand over her mouth. The last thing he needed was everyone in London knowing what his father did to him. Lily gave him a hard look, but Severus was too shocked to care. Lily still liked him. She wasn't appalled or disappointed. She was even_ angry _on his behalf. "Come," she barked at him. "Mum will know how to heal you." Severus vowed to never make Lily this mad. "No! She can't know about this, Lily!" Severus really didn't want Mrs Evans to know about this. He didn't want her to know about him _at all._ She wouldn't approve of his friendship with Lily. He was poor, filthy and he smelled like whisky. Lily noticed his miserable expression. "She won't mind, I promise." Severus wasn't convinced. "She'll tell someone. Everyone here gossips." Lily smiled at him. "She won't. Sev, please let me help you." Severus nodded, although he didn't agree with her. She gave him that charming smile again and took him by the hand, leading him into a much wealthier street. The Evans family didn't live far from Spinner's End. Their home was easily within walking distance of the Snape residence. Lily and Severus stopped before a rather large house. It was a two-story, painted white and it had a beautiful, colourful garden. It was so different from Spinner's End; Severus wasn't sure how to react. Lily opened the large door and stepped inside, pulling him along. Severus blushed. He didn't belong there. He was shabby and grimy. His family didn't have enough money for food and here he was, standing in a large, warm, two-story house. Severus looked around the unfamiliar home. The walls were painted a warm, light orange colour; the drawing room looked comfortable, too. Three large couches were positioned in front of a television and a fireplace was placed in the back, next to a couple of soft armchairs. The carpet was thick and soft and had a brownish colour. One of the walls had been turned into a large bookcase. Thick, hard covered books, both fiction and nonfiction occupied the shelves. The house was incredibly warm and smelled like food. Or maybe Severus was hallucinating. Either way, it was a far cry from the shameful Spinner's End. "Hello, mum," Lily greeted her mother cheerfully. Mrs Evans was rather tall. She had long, light brown hair, eyes just like Lily's and a kind, warm smile. "This is my friend Severus," said Lily. "Do you think he could stay here for today?" Mrs Evans looked at him sceptically. She stared at his bewildered face, his disgraceful clothes and his grubby appearance. Finally, she nodded. "I don't see why he shouldn't," she said kindly. "Where do you come from, my boy?" Severus smiled humourlessly. "I come from Spinner's End, madam. Thank you very much for allowing me into your home and I apologise for any trouble I have caused," he said politely, avoiding eye contact. His father always hated it when Severus looked at him in the eyes. "Nonsense, child, you're no trouble at all. I'm very please Lily has found a friend." Rose should have known. Of course he was from Spinner's End, he was dressed terribly and he smelled like liquor. The boy couldn't have been older than ten years old. He couldn't be drinking at that age. Nonetheless, he seemed well-mannered and quiet. Rose decided she wouldn't judge him yet.

Severus smiled and began to relax slightly. "It's rather warm in here, Severus. Do you want to take your... coat off?" said Mrs Evans. Severus shook his head frantically, which caused Mrs Evans to look at him curiously. He hadn't missed her pause when she said the word coat and he tried not to feel offended. Lily grinned. "Come, Sev, I'll show you my room." Severus followed his friend up the stairs and into her room. "Is Petunia here?" he asked, hoping he sounded casual. Lily sensed his discomfort. "No," she replied. "She's with her friend Marge Dursley." Severus relaxed. This wouldn't be so bad. He had already forgotten why Lily had brought him along and began to enjoy himself.

Lily, on the other hand, was trying to figure out a subtle way to tell her mother about Severus's... family life. She didn't want to scare or offend Sev, but her mother had to know. She couldn't let her best friend suffer helplessly. What would they do once her mum healed him? He'd still have to go back to his father. Lily also felt bad about keeping secrets from her mother. What would she think about magic? She wondered why Tobias Snape hated his son so much. Was it because Sev had magic and he didn't? Was it because of their poverty? Did he think that, somehow, Sev was the one to blame? Lily was blinded with rage at the very thought of it. "What do you want to drink, Sev?" she asked, trying to break the silence. Severus didn't respond immediately. "Water is fine, thank you," he said quietly. Lily looked at him concernedly, but nodded and went down the stairs.

"Mum, I really need your help," she said once she was in the kitchen. Her mother looked at her curiously. "What's wrong, love?" Lily played with the hem of her shirt, not knowing how to tell her mother. "It's about Sev." Rose raised an eyebrow. "His father is a bit... well, violent, I suppose. I was wondering if you could, you know... check him for any damage?" Rose nearly dropped the glass she was holding. "A-Are you sure about this?" she asked. Lily nodded solemnly. Rose knew her daughter _never_ lied. She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, dear," she fretted. "Come here with him in a couple of minutes, when he's more relaxed." Lily nodded and went into the kitchen to pour to glasses of juice. She gave one to Sev once she entered her room. He was quietly reading _The Hobbit._ He put the book down and took the glass carefully. "Thanks, Lily," he smiled.

As time passed, Severus seemed to relax more and become more talkative and cheerful. They talked about foreign magical schools, like Durmstrang, Mahoutokoro and Beauxbatons. Finally, Lily decided it was time. "Sev," she said seriously. "You _need_ to get a physical examination?" Her mum wasn't a doctor, but she did have a degree in medicine. Severus gave her a betrayed look. "You told her!" Lily nodded. "I promised she wouldn't tell anyone. She has a degree in medicine, she's used to seeing that stuff, I guess," Sev glared at her. "I don't need an examination!"

"You're hurt!"

"It doesn't matter! Why do you care, anyway?" He regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. "You're my friend, Sev and I don't want to see you hurt." Severus nodded. He really didn't like this, but he'd gladly do it for Lily. As soon as they got to the drawing room, Rose smiled warmly at them. "Ah, you're here. Good. Are you ready, Severus?" she asked. "Yes, madam," he replied quietly. Rose smiled. _Such a polite little boy,_ she thought fondly.

Rose was furious! Who would do such things to an innocent little boy? She noticed earlier that he smelled... oddly. "Severus, my dear boy, do your parents ever drink?" Severus paled at that. She couldn't ask that! It wasn't fair! _She healed you, you have to answer now._ He scowled. He hated owing people things. "Just my father," he mumbled. "I see," grumbled Mrs Evans. Lily had been oddly quiet through everything. "Why don't you stay for dinner, Sev? My dad will be home any minute now." Severus smiled at her. "I need to get back. Mother's not feeling very well and I don't want to leave her alone with my father." Lily and Mrs Evans both grimaced. "You could press charges," said Mrs Evans. Severus looked at her curiously. Why would he do that? Then he'd have to go to an orphanage, as his mother wouldn't be able to take care of him due to her illness. "We'll see," he replied. "Thank you very much, Mrs Evans. I really appreciate your help." Rose smiled at the small boy. "You're very welcome, Severus. Do not hesitate to ask me for help if you're ever... injured." He nodded. Lily hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "Bye, Sev." He hugged her back and reluctantly left the wonderful house. The rest of the evening was very uneventful for both Lily and Severus. Tobias didn't go home that night and Lily slept better than she had all week, as she knew now, that she and Severus were still friends. It had been quite the interesting day for both friends and neither could wait for the next day, where they would go back to the pond they had come to love. Severus was determined to never do anything that could damage his friendship with Lily. Wonderful, charming, brilliant Lily...


	4. The Evans' Discovery

DISCLAIMER: EVERYTHING YOU RECONGNISE BELONGS TO J. K. ROWLING!

Chapter Four

As months passed, Lily and Severus's friendship only grew stronger Severus stopped by the Evans residence almost every day. Mr and Mrs Evans always welcomed him into their home. Petunia, however, was a completely different matter. The few times they had come across each other, she would sneer and glower at him. Severus disliked her more every time he saw her. Lily had returned to school in September and this bothered Severus more than he liked to admit. He was completely and utterly miserable without her. They still met by their small lake by Spinner's End on weekends. They resided in Lily's room when the weather became too cold to stay outside. Finally, on the fourteenth of December, which was a week after Lily's tenth birthday, she and Severus decided to tell the Evans family about magic. "How are we going to do it, Sev? Mum and dad are never going to believe us!" exclaimed Lily. Severus stared at the opposite wall. What if Mr and Mrs Evans rejected Lily like Tobias rejected him? Would they be afraid of her magic? Severus couldn't bear the idea of his best friend suffering like that. But it had to be done. Lily would obviously get her Hogwarts acceptance letter one day and she didn't want to hide from her parents until then. That was why Lily was sitting quietly in the drawing room, looking out of the window, watching the snow fall on the frozen grounds. Mr Evans cleared his throat. "Is there anything wrong, Lily?" She took a deep breath. She had to say it _now._ "Sev and I need to tell you something," she said quietly. She knew her parents loved her, but she couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. After all, it wasn't every day a parent found out their daughter was a sorceress...

Her parents raised their eyebrows in perfect unison. Lily looked at Severus woefully. The message was clear to him: _You've known about magic longer; you should explain. _He shook his head subtly. Rose and Paul watched the exchange with an air of great amusement. Lily sent her friend one last deadly glare and turned to her parents. "Do you remember how Tuney would tell you I could do 'freakish things'?" Rose smiled fondly and nodded. Petunia always dramatised things. "Well, you see," Lily paused. How should she continue? "Sev told me it was magic!" she blurted out. Paul looked at his younger daughter sadly. "Lily, dear, you already know magic doesn't really exist," he told her kindly. Lily was rapidly becoming more and more frustrated as she tried to explain that magic was real several times. Thankfully, Severus spoke up before she could lose her temper. "I have a magic book I can show you," he offered quietly. He still didn't feel entirely safe around Mr Evans. Especially because there was a tall glass of wine in his hands at that moment. Paul knew the young boy didn't trust him, although he couldn't understand why. There was definitely something odd about that child. He never smiled, unless Lily was talking to him. He always seemed to wear an emotionless mask, but his doleful, brooding black eyes showed great depth; they betrayed his emotions. He was very articulate, even though Lily said she had never seen him at school. He was dangerously thin and his face was ashen. His clothes were filthy and had a funny odour, but he carried himself well. Rose told him that Severus came from a poor neighbourhood. That explained the outlandish clothing, but not much else. Paul was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Severus running carefully up the stair to get some book about magic tricks.

Severus looked frantically for his copy of_ Hogwarts: A History._ They _had _to believe him. Finally, he found it under Lily's wooden chair. He grabbed it and sprinted down the stairs, very nearly falling down in the process. With a triumphant look, he opened it up at a random page and showed it to Mr Evans. If the text wasn't enough to convince him, the moving pictures certainly were. For a couple of minutes, he stared at the dusty book, trying to make sense of it. He blinked once, twice. His wife was still reading over his shoulder. Her eyes were wide and she looked like she'd never speak again. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Lily watched him amusedly, her fear of rejection gone once she saw the comical sight. Paul looked at Severus, then Lily. He couldn't believe this. Magic was real. His daughter was a... a witch? He shook his head. It was, quite simply, unbelievable. Paul looked at Lily again. Gone was the smile from her face. It had been replaced by a look of worry. He realised what was going on through her mind. "I don't care what sort of... abilities you have," he smiled at her. "I love you and nothing's going to change that." Rose nodded in agreement. "I think it's wonderful, dear. Although, I do wish we knew more about it." Lily sighed in relief. They didn't care. They still loved her. She smiled. Severus sighed almost inaudibly at that. His friend wouldn't have to suffer, after all. She was loved. The thought made him break out into a wide grin. "Well, once Lily turns eleven," he began. "She will have to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That's a boarding school in which she'll learn to control her magic." Mr and Mrs Evans seemed bewildered. "Where is this school?" asked Rose curiously. "It is located in Scotland," replied Severus calmly. Paul cocked his head to the side. _That's where Lily gets it from,_ realised Severus. "Don't people notice an entire school of children making things mysteriously vanish or change colour?" Severus shook his head. "There is an entire world of wizards. And they're not all in Britain, either. The countries with the highest number of wizards and witches are France, Norway, Germany, Japan, Russia, England and Ireland." The two muggles nodded slowly, trying to comprehend what they were just told. "How is it that Lily's a witch if we didn't even know about magic? And why isn't our Petunia one, too?" Severus sighed; he didn't want to explain everything again. Fortunately, Lily answered for him. "Witches and wizards who come from a muggle, meaning non-magical, family, are known as Muggleborns in the magical world."

"How do you know that?" Severus and Lily should have expected that question. "Sev told me," said Lily meekly. Rose and Paul nodded again. "I see," said Rose. "I think we need a bit of time to fully understand this. Nonetheless, Severus, thank you for informing us." Severus nodded and looked out of the window. It was already dark outside. "I really must be getting back. Mother will be very worried if I don't." Lily bid him goodbye after hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek. "See you tomorrow, Sev?" Severus, who had become quite used to the affection, smiled at her and nodded. _If Tobias doesn't manage to kill me this time, _he thought acidly. His bitter expression didn't go unnoticed by Rose. "If you need anything, Severus, we'll always help you," she said gently. Severus smiled gratefully at her, while Paul just looked confused. Severus grabbed _Hogwarts: A History_ and ran out of the warm, pleasant house. He was instantly greeted by a cold, bitter wind and a raucous, heavy rain. Wrapping his hideous trench coat around his small body, he ran across the cracked, now muddy, pavement toward Spinner's End. He pushed the creaking door he despised so much and entered his home. Carefully stepping around his father, who was lying unconscious on the rough floor, he approached his mother's bed. It seemed as though she hadn't bothered to move Tobias from his spot on the flooring. "Hello, mother," Severus whispered. Eileen turned to face him. A ghost of a smile touched her lips. "Severus, my little prince," she said lovingly. Severus secretly loved it when she called him that. It reminded him that he was still a Prince, still a respectable wizard. He was still a Pureblood and a Slytherin. Eileen's soft smile slowly faded. "Severus, what have I told you about befriending muggle children? They can't find about magic," she said sternly. Severus looked at her for a couple of long moments. _This should be interesting, _he thought sarcastically. "She isn't a muggle, mother. She's a witch. Lily Evans is a muggleborn witch." Eileen blinked. "Very well," she said reluctantly. "I shall allow it, as I have no prejudice against Muggleborns." Severus smiled. "Go sleep," ordered Eileen. _This girl might be good for him,_ she thought._ He certainly smiles a lot more now._ With that comforting thought in mind, Eileen fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Rose and Paul Evans had never been more confused. Their daughter was a witch. She had magic. In just a year, she would go to a magical school in a magical world with magical people. Paul sighed heavily. He wasn't positive he wanted this. Yes, he still loved Lily, but he was rather hesitant about the whole thing. A family of wizards lived within walking distance of them. Was Severus a Muggleborn, too, or did he come from a family of witches and wizards? Paul shook his head. It was neither the time nor the place for such questions.

Rose was having similar thoughts. She was, however, worrying about her elder daughter. How would Petunia take this? Rose knew she loved her younger sister above all things, but Petunia was the epitome of normality. Rose, too, sighed and fell into a deep sleep.

The following morning wasn't easy for Severus. Tobias was still _very_ intoxicated. Severus was having a difficult time understanding his drunken slur. His mother quickly shoved him out of the house to save him. She silently crept up behind Tobias, picked up one of his half-empty bottles and hit him on the head with it. He fell to the floor, unconscious once again. Severus would have winced at the sound it made if it had happened to anyone but Tobias. Smiling, he walked to Lily's house. _Lily._ She had completely changed his life. Every time he looked into those beautiful emerald eyes, he felt braver, stronger and happier; he felt safe. Safety was a feeling he had _never_ felt before. But when he sat next to her, studying magic and listening to the jokes and stories she told him, he felt like all of his troubles were suddenly gone. It didn't matter that he was hungry and filthy and cold. It didn't matter that his father would be back that night, angry and violent as ever. It didn't matter that nobody else loved him. Because Lily was there; she loved him more than anyone ever would. He knocked on the door. Lily greeted him excitedly. She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the kitchen. Severus had never seen that part of the house before. "Why-," he began. Lily frowned. "When was the last time you ate?" she asked him gently. He shrugged. He had lost count. Was it two days ago? Maybe it was three... It didn't really matter anymore. Lily looked at him sadly. She gently pushed him into a chair and placed a plate of food in front of him. "Eat," she said. Severus looked at the plate with wide eyes. "A-Are you s-sure?" he asked, completely bewildered. Lily sat in the chair next to him and put her arm around his shoulders. She looked at him encouragingly. A couple of minutes later, he had finished about half of the food and felt like he was going to be sick. Lily seemed satisfied. They sat in her room for a couple of hours, as he would tell Lily about Beedle the Bard and the Peverell Brothers. Needless to say, Lily was fascinated with his almost inexhaustible supply of tales. Suddenly, Lily jumped up. Severus stared at her in shock. "Look!" she cried. "It's snowing!" Severus looked outside. The snow had covered mostly everything; from the uneven streets and the cracked pavement, to the small bushes and flowers to the cement roofs of the uniform houses in Cokeworth. Lily was jumping joyfully. "Come on, Sev! Let's go outside, it'll be fun!" He smiled shyly at her. Lily looked carefully at him for a moment. She studied his black eyes and his tentative smile. _He's really sweet, in his own awkward way,_ she thought fondly. They stood up and made their way outside. Lily stopped in front of a large cupboard, picked a warm, red scarf and a black hat and handed them to Severus. He looked blankly at her. "W-What am I supposed to do with them?" he asked, embarrassed. Lily laughed good-naturedly. "Put them on, of course!" she said, wrapping the long scarf around him. "It's cold outside; I can't let you go out with just an old coat." Severus smiled appreciatively. The two young wizards played outside for hours. Eventually, it was time for Severus to leave. Lily cleaned the snow off his face. He tried to take off the scarf in order to give it to her, but she told him to keep it. They bid each other goodnight and Severus walked away slowly. He closed his eyes and smiled contently, thinking about the green-eyed, auburn-haired girl that had managed to melt his heart of ice.


	5. The Letters

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR THE SONG USED IN THIS CHAPTER! HARRY POTTER BELONGS TO J.K. ROWLING AND IN NOCTEM BELONGS TO NICHOLAS HOOPER!

Chapter Five

About seven months later, the time had finally come. Severus could barely contain his excitement as he saw an owl fly through the window. It was the letter, it had to be. He untied the letter from the owl's leg. It was safe to open it now, as Tobias was still sleeping. It was, after all, still dark outside. His eyes widened; his mother looked at him proudly. Severus picked up the rather heavy envelope with trembling hands. The message was written in a narrow, loopy writing. The ink was his favourite colour- green.

_Mr S. Snape_

_The Smallest Bedroom,_

_7, Spinner's End,_

_Cokeworth_

Severus was happier than he had ever been. It was finally time for him to go to Hogwarts! He was practically bouncing in his hard, wooden chair. His dark eyes were alight with happiness. "Mother, look!" he cried. "It's the letter! It's finally here!" Eileen smiled at her son's excitement. She loved seeing him so happy and carefree. "Open it, Severus," she encouraged him. He did as he was told. On the top of the parchment, he saw the school crest. The letter 'H' over four animals: a lion, a badger, a raven and his favourite, a snake.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr Snape,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 __September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Severus couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts. He would finally get a wand! He would be sorted into Slytherin! He could finally study Potions and Defense against the Dark Arts properly. He vowed to be the best at those subjects. Severus jumped up from his chair, suddenly remembering something. "Mother!" he said, nearly yelling. "Do you think Lily got her letter yet?" Eileen placed a hand on her son's shoulder to calm him. "Do calm down, Severus, you'll wake your father up." That silenced him immediately. The last thing he wanted was Tobias to burn his letter. It was far too late to think about that now, for at that precise moment, Tobias staggered out of his bedroom. "WHAT'S ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?" he thundered. Severus tried to hide the letter behind his back. The small action was not missed by his father. _Stupid, useless, disgraceful drunkard,_ Severus thought resentfully. Tobias grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "What have you got there, boy?" he hissed. Severus thought he was going to be sick. He could smell the alcohol in his father's breath. "It's none of your business," he growled. Tobias raised an eyebrow and laughed humourlessly. He pushed his son to the floor. Severus fell backwards and landed on his stomach. Tobias quickly pulled the letter from his hands and read it. An ugly sneer touched his lips. Once he finished reading it, he tore it to pieces and threw it into the burning fireplace. "HOW DARE YOU," he yelled. "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO CONTACT THOSE FREAKS? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN TRICK ME, BOY?" He forced his son into a sitting position. The beating that followed was the worst of Severus's short, unfortunate life. His back was bleeding, a few of his ribs were broken, his face was cut and his ankle was sprained. He was fairly certain he had a black eye, too.

Once Tobias was gone, Eileen led Severus into a bedroom and helped him onto the bed. "Lie down, my dear boy," she said gently. "I will find you a pain potion." Severus closed his eyes, determined not to cry. What had he done wrong? Why did Tobias care whether he was a wizard or not?

Eileen sighed heavily. Why must that horrid man hurt her son? Why couldn't he hurt _her _instead? She wanted to protect her little boy, but sometimes it was impossible. Rummaging through her cupboard, she finally managed to find the potions she needed: a Blood Replenishing Potion, a Pain Potion and a Calming Draught. Eileen helped Severus drink them. She looked at him concernedly for a few moments; he was sitting up, but his eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. Tears finally started running down his face. Eileen wiped them away. "Don't cry, my little prince. It'll be alright." She said soothingly. Severus opened his eyes. "W-Why does he h-hate m-me, mum?" Despite the situation, Eileen smiled softly. It was the first time in years Severus had called her that. She hugged her son, shifting slightly so his head was buried in her neck. "He doesn't hate you, love," she told him softly. "He's jealous, because you have magic and he doesn't. He's jealous because he's ordinary." Eileen remembered a tune Amethyst used to sing to her. It was an old song, often sung in choirs in the wizard world. Wrapping her arms tighter around Severus, she began to sing.

_Carry my soul into the night.  
May the stars guide my way.  
I glory in the sight,  
As darkness takes the day._

_Ferte in noctem animam meam  
Illustre stellae viam meam.  
Aspectu illo glorior  
Dum capit nox diem._

Severus smiled softly. It was a melancholic song, but he loved it. He buried his face in his mother's neck, momentarily allowing himself to forget about Tobias. Eileen didn't stop singing.

_Cantate vitae canticum  
Sine dolore actae  
Dicite eis quos amabam  
Me numquam obliturum_

_Sing a song, a song of life  
Lived without regret  
Tell the ones, the ones I loved  
I never will forget  
Never will forget._

Eileen didn't let go of Severus once she finished the song. "Can I still go to Hogwarts?" he asked tentatively. She looked at him oddly. "Of course you will. I'm not going to forbid you from going just because Tobias doesn't like it. He won't have a say in it," Severus smiled at that. "Will they send another owl?" he asked his mother. "Yes," she replied confidently. "And we will go to Diagon Alley for your supplies soon. If you wish, your friend and her family may come as well." She said, trying to lift his spirits. "Do you think Lily got her letter yet?" Severus asked again. "Really, Severus, I have no way of knowing when each student gets their letter. You can go ask her if you feel well enough to walk." Severus nodded and stood up. His ankle still hurt a bit when he walked and his back was sore, but other than that, he felt fine. Eileen hadn't been able to heal his face, because she was too weak to use so much magic. Severus left the old house he despised so much. He walked slowly, taking his time to look at the abandoned cotton mill he sometimes hid in. observed each and every dull, uniform house. Some of them had steam coming out of the chimneys, indicating that the fire was burning. Some of them didn't have curtains. Some of them didn't even have _windows, _as they had been broken when Vernon and his gang had thrown rocks at them. Severus used to frequent the abandoned mill, but his mother forbid him from going there a few years ago, claiming it was dangerous. A dirty river ran along the dusty, dull roads of Cokeworth. Severus quite liked the river, but it didn't give him a feeling of privacy and security like the pond did. He walked slowly down the miserable grey streets. The weather was, unsurprisingly, horrible. It was cold and cloudy. The cutting, violent wind made him shiver. It was dark, as the broken streetlamps could not glow. Cokeworth seemed to become more depressing every day. Severus kicked the rubbish that was in his way. Cans, bottles and bags all made loud, rustling sounds. He walked for a couple of minutes, until he reached his destination. He raised a hand and knocked on the thick door.

Rose greeted him with a warm, welcoming smile. "Hello, Severus, it's good to see you again." Severus smiled back at her. Thankfully, she didn't mention his slight limp or cut face. "Come inside," she said warmly. Severus stepped into the house. No matter how many times he went there, he always felt out of place. Mrs Evans began fussing over him as he entered the drawing room. "What happened?" she asked concernedly. Severus shrugged. "I got my Hogwarts acceptance letter today. Father wasn't pleased." Rose gasped. Before she could question him, Mr Evans appeared in the doorway, smiling softly. "Hello, Severus, how are you doing?" Severus turned to him. "I'm alright, sir, thank you," he answered respectfully. Mr Evans nodded. "Who did-," his question was interrupted by Lily running down the stairs. "Sev!" she cried. She flung her arms around him. What's wrong?" she asked frantically, seeing the state her friend was in. "I got my Hogwarts letter today," he said glumly. "Aren't you happy about it?" Lily asked curiously. Severus looked at the ground. "Father burned it," he mumbled. Anger flashed in Lily's eyes. "Oh, Sev," she cried miserably. "It's alright, I'm sure they'll send another one." In a quieter tone, she added, "Did he do anything else to you?" Severus didn't answer. Lily already knew the answer, but didn't comment. She took him by the hand and led him upstairs. "What did he do to you?" she asked softly. Severus shook his head. "It doesn't matter, alright?" Lily glared at him, but decided to let the matter drop. "I haven't got my letter yet," she said sullenly in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "What if they never send it?"

"They will," replied Severus. "They know you're a witch." That comment seemed to reassure Lily. Her eyes brightened. For the rest of the day, Lily tried to teach Severus how to play the piano. His favourite piece was the Turkish March and even though he couldn't play it too well, he didn't give it up. _He's so determined to learn that piece, _Lily thought fondly. It was one of the things she loved about her friend- he was persistent. They talked for hours, until Severus suggested they go outside so he could teach her the constellations. That night, Severus went home smiling, feeling like everything was right in the world again.

The next day, Severus saw another owl waiting for him to open the window. He silently took the letter and ran outside, before Tobias could see him. He decided to show it to Lily. "Severus, that's brilliant," she laughed. "I can't wait to get mine!" She didn't wait long, as her letter came the next day.

Mrs Evans, who had not been informed of magical means of delivering post, screamed loudly as she saw the large bird staring at her. Lily grabbed the envelope from the owl. Realising it wanted some sort of payment; she gave it a few grapes. Lily had a grin reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat. "Mum, look! It's my letter! It's here! I'm going to Hogwarts!" Rose smiled at her younger daughter. "That's great, Lily. Can you please read the letter aloud?" Lily did so; the letter's content puzzled her mother greatly. "They expect an owl in two weeks? We don't _have_ an owl!" she said. Lily shrugged. "I'll ask Sev about it," she said. Rose nodded. It was a good idea.

That day, Eileen accompanied her son to the Evans' house. Rose was quite surprised to see her. "Good afternoon, Severus, Madam Snape," she said politely, stepping back to allow them into the house. Eileen greeted the other woman formally and proceeded to suggest they travel together to the magical world for Lily and Severus's supplies. Rose immediately agreed. "Very well," said Eileen. "I will inform the Deputy Headmistress that you do not require her assistance." Rose nodded, agreeing with her words. "Where will we be going?" By now, Severus and Lily were becoming very impatient. "Diagon Alley," replied Eileen. "I will show you the way." Then she remembered something important. "Do you still have your letters?" she asked the two children. They both nodded. "Keep them with you until we finish shopping in Diagon Alley," she said firmly. "As I cannot apparate many people with me, we will use a portkey." Lily's eyes lit up. "What's a portkey?" she asked excitedly. Eileen smiled at the small girl. _She's so eager to learn; she would make a good Ravenclaw. _"A portkey is an object enchanted to instantly bring anyone touching it to a specific location" she explained. Lily nodded in understanding and promptly started questioning Eileen about magical means of transportation.

Petunia heard guests coming in. After they left, Lily went into her room and placed a letter on her desk. Petunia, being the nosey person she was, sneaked into her sister's room and read the letter. _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? _Lily was a witch? Was that how she did all these mysterious things? Petunia suddenly felt jealous. Why couldn't _she_ have magic? Petunia bit her lip. She couldn't let her sister run off with that disgusting boy to some freakish school. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and began to write.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

A couple of days ago, my sister Lily received a letter informing her of her place at your school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I, however, did not receive one. Is there any way I could go to this school? Can I please become a witch? Can you give me magic?

Respectfully,

Petunia Evans

Petunia reread her letter. It seemed like a reasonable request. If Lily was a witch, she had to be one, too, right? Suddenly, she frowned. How was she going to send the letter? She sighed. She would figure that out tomorrow. She just _knew_ they were going to let her go with Lily. They were sisters, after all.

"Petunia, please come here for a moment," called her mother. Petunia went into the kitchen where her family was sitting with that horrible boy and another woman- his mother, probably. She glared at the boy. How dare he come into _their _home like that? Sure, she had seen him there before, but he never stayed for very long. "Petunia," began Lily. "I need to tell you something important." Petunia didn't take her eyes off Severus. "I know," she said. "You're a witch." Everyone at the table looked mildly surprised. "How did you know?" demanded Severus. Eileen silenced him. Petunia's cheeks turned slightly pink. "I overheard you talking," she lied easily. She, unlike her sister, had always been a good liar, something for which she was doubly thankful now. "Do you want to come to Diagon Alley with us, Tuney?" asked Lily. "Please! I really want you there!" Severus looked rather sour at that particular piece of information. His expression didn't go unnoticed by Petunia. "I'll come," she said immediately, partly to spite Severus, partly because she wanted to be there for her sister. Lily hugged her. "Thanks, Tuney," she said happily. Eileen stood and picked up the newspaper that was lying on the kitchen table. "Do you mind if I use this as a portkey?" she asked Mr and Mrs Evans. "Not at all," replied Paul. Eileen pulled out her wand. _Portus,_ she whispered. The newspaper glowed slightly. "On three, touch the newspaper and do not let go of it under any circumstances," she said seriously. "One, two, three," she counted. They started spinning and everything went black. Once they had reached their destination, Petunia, Lily and Severus landed in an undignified heap on the ground. They were in Diagon Alley.


End file.
